Meeks wins GOP primary for 178; _Werkheiser wins other House race

Wayne County resident Steven Meeks has won the Republican nomination for Georgia House District 178.

And Bill Werkheiser has defeated Delvis Dutton in the GOP Primary for House District 157--and, because there are no _Democrats running, will retain his seat.

In other election results, Sheron Daniel kept the District 4 seat on the Wayne County Board of Education in the Nonpartisan Election Tuesday.

Meanwhile, incumbent Mike Roberts and Ferrell Cooksey are headed to a runoff for the Republican nomination for District 3 county commissioner.

The General Primary and Nonpartisan Election drew a local voter turnout of 24.3 percent (3,713 ballots cast out of 15,264 registered voters).

In the District 178 House race on the Republican ballot, Meeks beat Franklin Rozier of Pierce County 3,863-2,265 (63 percent to 37 percent). Meeks had a particularly strong showing in Wayne County, outpacing Rozier 1,238-234 (84.1 percent to 15.9 percent). Meeks will face Democrat Greg O'Driscoll on Nov. 6.

In the District 157 House race on the Republican ballot, Werkheiser beat Dutton 2,557-1,541 (62.4 percent to 37.6 percent). In Wayne County Werkheiser won 943-452 (67.6 percent to 32.4 percent).

For the only contested school board seat, Daniel defeated Kelly 239-176 (57.3 percent to 42.2 percent).

And for the only contested seat on the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, Roberts with 262 votes (42.2 percent) and Cooksey with 187 votes 30.1 percent)advanced to a runoff for the GOP nomination. Larry Brantley was the odd man out with 172 votes (27.7 percent). The runoff winner will face Democrat Kenny Teston in November.

In the race for the Democratic nomination for Georgia's First Congressional seat, Lisa Ring beat Barbara Seidman 20,501-9,814 (67.6 percent to 32.4 percent), also besting her in Wayne County 447-202 68.9 percent to 31.1 percent). Ring will face incumbent Republican Buddy Carter in the General Election.

Statewide races

In the only statewide nonpartisan race, Ken Hodges beat Ken Shigley with 69.9 percent of the vote. Hodges also came out on top in Wayne 2,392-612 (79.6 percent to 20.4 percent).

In the gubernatorial races, Republican candidates Casey Cagle with 39 percent and Brian Kemp with 25.6 percent are headed to a runoff; they were the top two vote-getters in a five-man field (after two candidates withdrew). Kemp actually outpolled Cagle in Wayne 1,089-915 (37.1 percent to 31.1 percent).

For lieutenant governor, Republicans David Shafer with 48.9 percent and Geoff Duncan with 26.6 percent are headed to a runoff. In Wayne, though, the third candidate, Rick Jeffares, had the most votes with 1,188 votes (44.2 percent), and Shafer was second with 949 votes (35.3 precent).

For secretary of state, _Republicans Brad Raffensperger with 35 percent and David Belle Isle with 28.6 percent are headed to a runoff. Josh McKoon was third in the four-man race with 21.1 percent. In Wayne, though, Belle Isle was on top with 1,005 votes (41 percent); McKoon was second with 546 votes (22.3 percent); and Buzz Brockway was third with 456 votes (18.6 percent).

John Barrow avoided a runoff for the Democratic nomination for secretary of state with 61.6 percent of the vote statewide; he also dominated the three-person race locally with 413 votes (61.6 percent).

For insurance commissioner, Jim Beck with 59.7 percent defeated two other candidates to avoid a runoff for the GOP nomination; he also received a 1,766-vote majority (69.6 percent) in Wayne .

For school superintendent, incumbent Richard Woods with 60.1 percent beat John Barge with 39.9 percent on the Republican side; the results were similar in Wayne, where Woods beat Barge 1,572-1,018 (60.7 percent to 39.3 percent).

Among the three Democratic candidates, Otha E. Thornton Jr. with 43.9 percent and _Sid Chapman with 36.5 percent are advancing to a runoff. They were also the favorites in Wayne, where Thornton garnered 262 votes (42.5 percent) and Chapman took 220 votes (35.7 percent). Sam Mosteller was the third candidate.

And in the Democratic race for Republican Chuck Eaton's Public Service Commission seat, Lindy Miller with 65.5 percent beat two other candidates to avoid a runoff. She also took a majority in Wayne with 354 votes (57.8 percent). She will face Eaton this fall.

Finally, Tricia Pridemore with 53.1 percent remained in the hunt to keep her PSC seat, defeating John Hitchins III for the Republican nomination. Hitchins actually earned more votes in Wayne, though, 1,276-1,247 (50.6 percent to 49.4 percent).